Meet the Board: Priya Bansal, MD, FAAAAI, FACAAI

Access to information is essential to clinical and professional success, according to Priya Bansal, MD, FAAAAI, FACAAI, chair of the Communication Oversights Task Force at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

“A primary aim of the AAAAI Communications Oversights Task Force is to enhance communication with practicing allergists,” Bansal told Healio.

Priya Bansal

“This communication will be the foundation for allergists to receive up-to-date changes that are occurring in our specialty and help members to get further involved with areas they are interested in, thus further promoting our specialty and the work it does,” she said.

Bansal also is co-chair of the American Academy of AAAAI Practice Management Workshop, scheduled for July 22-24 in Washington, D.C. Presented in person and virtually, content will be tailored to focus on solo and group practices as well as academic and hospital settings.

“New regulations, coding, changes since COVID-19, burnout, staffing issues and more will be addressed,” Bansal said. “Fellows in training will learn the basics of coding, contract negotiations and current hot topic items. Office managers are also welcome and encouraged to attend.”

Bansal’s additional roles include membership on the AAAAI’s COVID-19 Task Force and Board of Directors, as well as serving in the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology House of Delegates.

Of course, these duties come on top of her work as an allergist and immunologist at Asthma and Allergy Wellness Center in St. Charles, Illinois, and as a member of the faculty at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.

These many positions keep Bansal connected to her colleagues and on top of the latest developments in the field. As a member of Healio’s Allergy/Asthma Peer Perspective Board, she will share that expertise with an even wider audience.

“It is a privilege to serve on Healio's Board and communicate the latest and greatest with our colleagues and patients,” she said. “I look forward to bringing forth the incredible amount of innovation ongoing in our field.”

Healio spoke with Bansal about how she became involved in allergy and immunology, which developments have had the largest impact on the field and her biggest challenges, as well as life outside the clinic.

Healio: How did you come to pursue allergy/immunology as your specialty?

Bansal: I originally was going to pursue dermatology. However, I did not like my rotation when I did it at that time. I was then recommended by a friend to try allergy and immunology. Our hospital did not have a training program for that, so I tried it as an elective at a different hospital and loved it! I then did my residency in pediatrics and internal medicine to best prepare myself to take care of allergy and immunology patients of all ages.

Healio: Do you have a particular area of allergy/immunology that you enjoy the most?

Bansal: I enjoy treating more complex diseases such as severe asthma, eosinophilic esophagitis, hereditary angioedema, immunodeficiency and food allergy. I also enjoy keeping up with new diseases and cutting-edge therapies and advances. I am particularly interested in the management of long COVID-19 right now.

Healio: What challenges do you face regularly in practice that keep you up at night?

Bansal: I completely value the doctor-patient relationship. What keeps me up at night is the severe burden allergists have with getting patients access to the therapy they need. I would like to make strides on making prior authorizations easier for physicians.

Secondly, practices are also struggling with staffing shortages, which has made it more challenging to provide the high-quality and timely care that we strive for.

Healio: What do you like to do outside of clinical practice?

Bansal: Outside of practice, I enjoy being outdoors and playing tennis. I also relish time with family and friends. Though it has been difficult lately, I do appreciate traveling.

As other side jobs to my main job, I value researching, consulting, and advocating for allergy and immunology patients.

Healio: What would you say has been the most exciting development in allergy and asthma treatment over the last decade?

Bansal: The most exciting developments for me have been the biologic and hereditary angioedema therapies as well as the LEAP study publication discussing early introduction of peanut in infants’ diets.

Healio: What advances are you most looking forward to over the next 10 years?

Bansal: There are several advances on the horizon. We now have an FDA-approved medication for patients with EoE aged 12 years and older.

We also see nasal epinephrine in trials and may soon not have to take a shot of epinephrine in case of anaphylaxis. Simultaneously, there is research ongoing to use nanoparticles to hide the allergens to make allergy shots safer.

For more information:

Priya Bansal, MD, FAAAAI, FACAAI, can be reached at priyabansal999@yahoo.com.